Ventilating footwear and method of ventilating footwear

Abstract

Ventilating footwear provides air circulation under and around the foot. Apertures in the heel and/or sole and/or midsole communicate with an air compartment in the heel and/or sole and/or midsole, and as the wearer strides, the heel and/or sole and/or midsole are compressed, expelling the air from the compartment and into the footwear upper. The top side surface of the sole or midsole may also be provided with a plurality of air channels which direct and circulate air from the compartment around and underneath the wearer's foot. The footwear may also provide shock absorbence and energy return through the compressible heel and/or sole and/or midsole, and may have a rigid or semi-rigid midsole, which provides support, as well as cushioning below the midsole for comfort.

1. Footwear comprising:
 an upper; 
 a sole having a top side and an underside, wherein said upper is positioned above the sole and secured to the sole; 
 said sole having a plurality of apertures, wherein the apertures extend through said sole, with each aperture having an opening on the top side and on the underside of the sole; 
 a heel having sidewalls, a top opening, and a bottom plate, said bottom plate having an inner surface and an outer surface, said sidewalls comprising a flexible material; 
 at least one compartment for holding air within said heel and enclosed by flexible material of said sidewalls, wherein said at least one compartment communicates with said apertures and provides air ventilation to said upper through said top heel opening when the heel is attached and the heel compartment is compressed; and 
 a compressible support member having a first end and a second end, wherein said support member is placed within said heel, wherein the second end of said support member is attached to the heel, and wherein the first end of said support member is removably or securably attachable to the underside of said sole, and thereby attaches said heel to said sole, said flexible material of said sidewalk bending to permit compression of said heel and said at least one compartment and said compressible support member. 
 
     
     
       2. The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said apertures communicate only between said at least one compartment and said sole and are closed off with respect to any exterior surface of said footwear such that air is expelled from said compartment through said apertures and into said upper when said heel compartment and said support member are compressed and wherein air from said upper is drawn down through said apertures into said compartment as said heel compartment returns to an uncompressed position. 
     
     
       3. The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said support member comprises at least one spring, wherein said spring is a coil spring with first and second ends, wherein said first end has a smaller diameter than said second end. 
     
     
       4. The footwear of  claim 3 , further comprising a mounting appliance on the first end of said spring for attaching said support member to the underside of said sole. 
     
     
       5. The footwear of  claim 4 , having a blind space in said sole underside which matingly engages said mounting appliance. 
     
     
       6. The footwear of  claim 4 , where a bolt is used to removably or securably attach said support member to said sole. 
     
     
       7. The footwear of  claim 6 , where said sole has at least one bolt hole in the heel area of the sole and where the bolt is inserted into said bolt hole and secured to the support member. 
     
     
       8. The footwear of  claim 2 , wherein said sidewalls comprise material that substantially seals said heel compartment and wherein a vacuum in said heel compartment is created as the heel and support member recover to an uncompressed position. 
     
     
       9. The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said support member comprises a plurality of springs. 
     
     
       10. The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one support member and wherein said sidewalls being formed in an accordion-like construction give the heel a resiliency, over a range of loads. 
     
     
       11. The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one support member has shock absorbing capabilities due to a series of ridges and folds of said sidewalls which lessens stress upon joints and/or feet of a wearer as compared to footwear without a compressible support member. 
     
     
       12. The footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of breathing holes in at least one area of said upper. 
     
     
       13. The footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said heel sidewalls have an upper edge, said upper edge forming a rim. 
     
     
       14. The footwear of  claim 13 , further comprising a skirt mounted on the underside of said sole which extends around a heel area of said sole, and wherein the rim of said heel sidewalls is placed within said skirt when said heel is attached. 
     
     
       15. The footwear of  claim 1 , having a skirt mounted along the edges of the underside of a heel area of said sole, wherein said heel sidewalls are placed inside said skirt when said heel is attached, said sidewalls further comprising non-porous material. 
     
     
       16. Footwear comprising:
 an upper; 
 a sole and/or midsole having a top side and an underside wherein said upper is secured to the sole and/or midsole; 
 a heel comprised of sidewalls, a top opening, and a bottom, said heel having at least one air compartment, wherein said heel is removably or securably attached to said sole and/or midsole; 
 at least one air channel on the top surface of said sole and/or midsole; 
 a plurality of apertures in said sole and/or midsole, wherein each aperture extends through the top side and the bottom side of said sole and/or midsole, and wherein at least one aperture is positioned to open into said at least one said channel; 
 wherein said at least one compartment communicates with said apertures and is capable of providing air ventilation to said upper when said compartment is compressed, Thereby pushing air out of said compartment and into said upper through said heel opening, said apertures communicating only between said at least one compartment and an interior of said upper and being closed off with respect to any exterior surface of said footwear; and 
 a support member within said heel compartment which is compressible, wherein a portion of said support member is attached to said heel and where another portion of said support member is attached to the sole and/or midsole, thereby attaching said heel to said sole and/or midsole. 
 
     
     
       17. The footwear of  claim 16 , said sidewalls being flexible so as to be compressible, wherein air is expelled from said compartment through said apertures and into said at least one air channel when said heel compartment is compressed, and wherein a vacuum is created in said heel air compartment as said compartment recovers to an uncompressed position, thereby drawing air from said upper down into said compartment through said apertures and from said channels. 
     
     
       18. The footwear of  claim 16  wherein said support member comprises at least one coiled spring, said spring having a first end and a second end, said first end having a smaller diameter than said second end, and further comprising said sidewalls being formed with ridges and folds. 
     
     
       19. The footwear of  claim 18 , having a skirt mounted with the bottom side of said sole or midsole which extends around the periphery of the heel area of said sole or midsole, wherein said heel sidewalls are placed inside said skirt when said heel is removably or securely attached to said sole or midsole. 
     
     
       20. The footwear of  claim 18 , having a mounting appliance attached to said first end of said spring and the heel attached to said second end of said spring. 
     
     
       21. The footwear of  claim 16 , wherein said plurality of apertures are positioned to open into said air channel. 
     
     
       22. Footwear comprising:
 an upper; 
 a sole having a top side, wherein said upper is secured to said sole; 
 a heel comprised of sidewalls, a top opening, and a bottom plate, and wherein said heel is removably or securably attached to said sole; 
 a skirt mounted along the edges of the underside of said sole, wherein said heel sidewalls are placed inside said skirt; 
 a plurality of apertures in the sole which extend through said top side and the bottom side of said sole, where each aperture has an opening on said top side and said bottom side of said sole; 
 at least one air compartment disposed within said heel, wherein said at least one compartment communicates with said apertures, where said compartment is capable of providing air ventilation to said upper from said top heel opening through said sole apertures when said air compartment is compressed, plurality of apertures communicating only between said at least one compartment and an interior of said upper and being closed off with respect to any exterior surface of said footwear; 
 a compressible support member having a top end and a bottom end, wherein said support member is placed within said heel air compartment, where said bottom end is connected to said heel; 
 a mounting appliance attached to the top end of the support member, wherein said mounting appliance is mounted to the underside of the sole; and 
 wherein said mounting appliance removably attaches said heel to said sole. 
 
     
     
       23. The footwear of  claim 22 , wherein a bolt removably or securably attaches said mounting appliance to said sole. 
     
     
       24. The footwear of  claim 22 , wherein the support member comprises at least one spring. 
     
     
       25. The footwear of  claim 24 , wherein the support member is constructed from a material selected from the group consisting essentially of metal; hardened natural rubber; hardened synthetic rubber; metal; reinforced polymers; composite materials; gel; foam; textiles; leather; or a combination thereof, said support member being enclosed by said sidewalls, said sidewalls comprising a substantially non-porous, flexible material that flexibly compresses when said support member is compressed. 
     
     
       26. The footwear of  claim 22 , wherein the sidewalls of said heel are flexible. 
     
     
       27. The footwear of  claim 22 , wherein said support member comprises at least one spring, and wherein said spring is a coil spring with first and second ends, wherein said first end has a smaller diameter than said second end. 
     
     
       28. The footwear of  claim 27 , where a mounting appliance is attached to said first end of said spring and where the second end of said spring is attached to the bottom plate of said heel. 
     
     
       29. The footwear of  claim 22 , further comprising at least on channel on the top surface of said sole, wherein two or more of said plurality of apertures are positioned to open into said air channel. 
     
     
       30. A method of providing ventilation in footwear comprising the steps of:
 providing a sole and/or midsole with a top surface and a bottom side; 
 forming an upper and mounting said upper to said sole and/or midsole; 
 providing a heel comprised of sidewalls, a top opening, and a bottom plate, wherein said bottom plate has an inner surface and an outer surface, and wherein said heel is removably or securably attached to said sole; 
 providing flexible sidewalls that are deformable during walking; 
 making a plurality of apertures in said sole and/or midsole which extend through said top side and the bottom side of said sole and/or midsole, wherein each said aperture has an opening on said top side and said bottom side of said sole; 
 providing at least one air compartment within said heel which communicates with said apertures and provides air ventilation to said upper through said top heel opening when the heel is deformed; 
 providing a support member within the compartment of said heel which compresses and recovers to an uncompressed position; 
 attaching a portion of said support member to said heel; 
 attaching said heel to said sole and/or midsole by attaching another portion of said support member to said sole and/or midsole; 
 placing a force on said heel for deforming said sidewalls and at least partially compressing the heel air compartment, thereby displacing air from said compartment through said top heel opening and said apertures into said upper when said heel air compartment is compressed; and 
 removing said force from said heel, thereby drawing air back into said compartment from said upper as said heel air compartment recovers to an uncompressed position. 
 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of providing at least one channel on the top surface of said sole and/or midsole and positioning at least one of said aperture openings in said at least one channel. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a wearer having a body weight and having a pair of feet; 
 placing each said foot within a separate footwear upper and placing the bottom side of each footwear sole and/or midsole and the outer surface of said heel bottom plate upon a surface; 
 placing the weight of said body upon at least one foot and said footwear; and 
 compressing said heel compartment and support member with the weight force of said body. 
 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the steps of:
 lifting at least one foot and said footwear off said surface, thereby taking the weight of said body force off said footwear; and 
 allowing the heel compartment to recover to an uncompressed position. 
 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 33 , wherein a vacuum is created as said force is lifted from the footwear and as the compartment returns to an uncompressed position, thereby drawing air from said upper downwardly through said apertures into said air compartment. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of:
 increasing air circulation in the upper by providing at least one channel on the top surface of said sole or midsole, wherein at least one of said apertures is positioned between said air compartment and said at least one channel; and 
 wherein air circulates in said channel under a foot of a wearer. 
 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the steps of:
 mounting a skirt on the underside of said sole which extends round a heel area of said sole, and wherein the sidewalls of said heel is placed within said skirt. 
 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 35 , further comprising the steps of:
 positioning each top side opening of said plurality of apertures within said at least one channel on the top surface of said sole or midsole.